Lepto’s spreading but corportion wouldn’t know

The corporation says there has been a drop in the number of cases of leptospirosis in the city — a contention that’s open to challenge — but, even if one were to go by the official numbers, the incidence of the disease is higher in Chennai than Mumbai, which has more than twice as many people.Christin Mathew Philip | TNN | August 17, 2015, 06:23 IST

ट्रेन में खाने में मिला चूहाCHENNAI: The corporation says there has been a drop in the number of cases of leptospirosis in the city — a contention that’s open to challenge — but, even if one were to go by the official numbers, the incidence of the disease is higher in Chennai than Mumbai, which has more than twice as many people.

Leptospirosis, also known as field fever, is an infection caused by leptospira bacteria. Rats are the principal transmitters of the disease. Symptoms include headache, muscle pain and fever and, in severe cases, bleeding of the lungs and kidney failure.

According to corporation records, the city recorded more than 400 cases of leptospirosis since 2013. Its statistics also suggest that there may have been a drop in cases: The number of cases dropped from 291 in 2013 to 136 in 2014. It has recorded 18 cases till March this year.

Experts, however, say the civic body underreports cases of transmittable diseases to stem public fear and people who contract such diseases themselves often do not report it to the authorities.

Mumbai, which receives heavy rainfall that leads to waterlogging and conditions favourable for the spread of leptospirosis, recorded 233 cases of the disease in 2013, 79 in 2014 and 26 till June of 2015.

The city generates 5,000 tonnes of waste daily and an ineffective garbage disposal system allows rats to breed prolifically.

“A city’s rodent population reflects the levels of its sanitation. The corporation’s waste collection is not efficient,” said S S Radhakrishnan, president of NGO Good Governance Guards.

Corporation officials said they send teams to the spot whenever they receive complaints about rats. “The team identifies burrows and sprays them with raticide,” an official said.

But former director of public health, Dr S Elango says there has clearly been an increase in the number of rats in the city, especially near railway yards, bus depots and markets.

He said people should avoid wading through flooded streets where rat urine may have contaminated rainwater with the bacteria.

“The corporation’s underreporting of cases does not help at all,” Dr Elango said. “The corporation and the railways should come up with a comprehensive plan to rid the city of rodents.”

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